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E. T. TURNEY.

souwn BOX APPLICATION FILED DEC.30, 1919.

1,340,854, Patented May18,1920.

E15. E 9 4 10 7 1 4o 8 6 10 UNITED srarns T OZFICE. j

EUGENE T. TURNEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR (1 F SHE-HALF TO ERNEST CL WILCOX, O MERIDEN, CCNN1*]CYTICU'JP.

SOUND-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented "play 18, 19-29,

Application filed December 39, 1919. Serial No. 348,333.

provide a new and useful construction designed to improve the quality of tone reproduced.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1, is a side elevation.

Fig. 2, is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

It should be un derstood that I have shown and shall describe my invention in only its preferred form and that I am aware tl at various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

1 represents a diaphragm of suitable ma terial. This diaphragm is suitably mounted in a housing from the back of which projects a tube or extension which is con nected in any suitable way with the usual horn. 2 represents the aforesaid housing, and represents the aforesaid tube at the back. 4 represents what is termed the needle bar pivotally mounted at 5 at one edge of the housing. The inner end of the rice dle bar is connected in any appropriate manner to the center of the diaphragm while the outer end of said bar being designed to receive the usual needle which runs in the usual record groove. Mounted upon the diaphragm is a bridge 6, preferably of wood. The center of this bridge is approximately over the point of contact of the needle bar with the diaphragm. Bearing upon the bridge is a yielding presser bar 7 which in this instance is in the form of a spring secured at its ends to the opposite sides of the housing 2. 1 This spring is preferably adjustable so that it may bear with the de sired pressure on the bridge 6. 8 is a nut mounted on a stud 9 carried by the housing 2 at one end of the presser bar 7 so that by raising or lowering said nut on said stud, the pressure of the bridge 6 on the diaphragm may be adjusted properly. If desired, and as is preferable, the bridge 6 may be separated from direct contact with the diaphragm and with the spring 8 by means of relatively soft pads l0--10 of material such as felt. v

In operation, the vibrations in the dia phragm are created in the usual manner through the medium of the needle bar, I have found that in instruments of this character interference or jamming occurs by the overlapping of sound waves of successive vibrations and that this is injurious to the quality of tone produced. It is my aim to damp out the minor waves of each vibration so as to avoid harmful interfer ence. This can be done without sacrifice to volume since the adjustment may be such as to GIIQC'G only the tail end, or so called minor waves which have little if any value,

but which waves if allowed to continue, in

somewhat varied, and the exact positioning is not critical. It might be observed that the user may, if he desires, adjust the pressure of the bridge 6 on the diaphragm so as to subdue the volume oft-one. Although this function is secondary, it may be desirable in the playing of certain records.

While I have described my invention chiefly as a soundbox for reproducing sound, it is possible that the same may be useful in connection with the recording of sound, and therefore I do not wish to limit myself with regard to the use of the instrument. g

IVhat I claim is:

1. In a sound box, a diaphragm, means for vibrating the same, a bridge mounted at separated points on the diaphragm at distances sufliciently remote from the centerto permitthe central portion to be freely vibrated, and means for yieldingly holding said bridge'in said. position.

2. In a sound box, a diaphragm, means for vibrating the same, a bridge mounted at separated points on the diaphragm at distances sufficiently remote from the center to permit the central portion to be freely vibrated, and means for yieldingly holding said bridge in said position, and to balance the pressure of said contact points on said diaphragm.

3. In a sound box, a diaphragm, a needle bar connected to the diaphragm at substa11- tially the center, a bridge mounted on the diaphragm at separated points and orerstanding the end of said needle bar, a yield ing adjustable presser bar over-standing said bridge and cooperating therewith to vary the effective pressure of said bridge on the diaphragm.

In a sound box, a diaphragm, a needle bar connected to the diaphragm and substantially the center, a bridge mounted on the diaphragm at separated points and overstanding the end of said needle bar, a yielding adjustable presser bar overstanding said bridge and cooperating therewith to vary the effective pressure of said bridge on the diaphragm, said presser bar being connected with the bridge at substantially the center to maintain balanced action thereon.

5. In a sound box, a diaphragm, a needle bar connected therewith at substantially the center, a bridge mounted on the diaphragm at a plurality of separated points and overstanding the end of said needle bar, a yielding adjustable presser bar mounted on the box and orerstanding the bridge, yielding pads between the ends of the bridge and the diaphragm, and a yielding pad between the bridge and the aresser bar.

EU "ENE T. TURNEY. 

